Spring pad



A. H. ADAMS June 21, 1932.

SPRING PAD Original Filed Oct. 20, 1928 .VIV

Patented .irme 21,1932

unirse stares PATENT oFFics .ARTHUR H. ADAIVIS. OFVYONKERS, NEW YORK,ASSIGNORTO TROYLAUNDRY MACHIN-v ERY COIVIPANY, TNC., GE NEW' YORK, N.YWA CORPORATION OF DELAWARE' SPRING' ran' Original application ledOctober 20, 1928, Serial No. 318,858. Divided andthis applicationledOctoberV i, 1929. Serial No. 396,591. Y Y

This applic-ation is a division of mv co-k pending application lio.8l3,858, filed (loto-v ber 20, 1928. Y

This invention relates to springs and also 5 to methods and apparatusfor winding convoluted springs. More particulariy, the invention isconcerned with springs of the type having inclined convolutions.

The invention is in the nature of an iinthe copendingapplications ofArthur H. Adams, Serial No. 245,180 and has for one of its objects toproduce a closely wound skewed spring which has a maximum of resiliencyin a direction perpendicular to the axis of the spring convoiutions.

As described in said applications, the char-- acteristics of skewedsprings render them particularly advantageous in providing a resilientsurface which is capable of localized compression without permanentdeformation, such surfaces, for example, being employed in vlaundrymachines, paper machines and the like. Accordingly, another object ofthe invention is to produce aV resilient padding of the tv e disclosedin application Serial No.'

.. p l .L

245.180 in which the resilient element consists l 7 u of a skewedconvoluted spring which has a maximum of transverse resiliency for agiven size of spring convolution. l

A further feature is to provide a resiliently padded roll or thelile.employing as a resilient element thereof skewedsnrings having square orrectangular shaped convolutions.

Another feature pertains to the means for uniting the free ends of acoiled spring which is wrapped around a roll or other equivalentsurface.

As is well known, laundry rolls, etc. are provided with one or morerouter coverings of woven fabric with one end fastened to the roll andthe otherend free. Tn the case of rolls having a resilient paddingformed of coiled springs wrapped around the roll such as disclosed inapplication Serial No. 245,180, it is important that the covering befastened so that during the rotation the winding effect on the coveringwill not produce ridges in the spring padding. Accordingly a stilifurther feature pertains to the novelV method and provenient upon theinvention disciosed iiiV ineans 'for anchoring the roll covering or` Forthe purpose of illustrating one pre- Y ferred manner of using a springaccording to the invention the same willibedisclosed? as applied to valaundry ironing roll, butit fill beV understood that this is merelyforthe:

purpose of illustration and that its appli'ca-` bility for analogoususes inl other ieldsis Within the scope of the invention.v

Referring to the drawing, Fig. l showsin'V schematic form the successiveste-ps to befollowed in winding a square o'r rectangular convoluted andnestedspring accordingto the' invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the spring as it is formed according to themethod illus-.v trated in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the spring, looking inthe direction of theplanesV of the convo-v lutions, and showing the alternate short and longloop structure of the top surface of a spring of this construction.

Fig. L is a bottom plan view ,ofl the spring,

looking inthe direction of the planes of the convolutions, and showingvthe staggered equalloo'p structure of the bottom surface. of a spring ofthis construction. Y

Fig. 5 isa side elevation of av portion of a CTD spring,according to theinvention, with the i .preferredA manner of lockingl the springagaiifistV creeping over the roll surface.

Fig. 9 illustrates ya preferred manner of iii-fu fabric covering to theFig. -12 isa simplified diagram showing the method of attaching aplurality of separate layers of fabric coverings at diametrically.opposite ,points `using the .anchoring means of Fig. 9. i

Referring particularly to Fig. l, thereis diagnammatically shownraa"method of lforming Lan inclined square-*or rectangular spring kwithsuccessive convolutions Vof .different sizessotliat each smalllconvolution may nest Withintheizadj acentlarge convolutioiis.Y Thenesting-.eifectr'enables the convolutions to be closer together:than-has Vheretofore been found Vpossible'. and @without -curtailingthe resiliency when the convolutions are-subjected `"to .pressure .in `adirectiontransverse to theirV common naxis. This feature kis importantAwhensufchsfa spring acts asfazresilient supporting surface such-.las isused inilaundry rollsortlie like since it provides a non-ab` sorbentfresilient supporty forY the fabric cover. ing :and also presentsa'substantially con# tinuous supportltlierefor. .Asfshownrin Fig. 1, aVlength :of .spring fWire ofxthe requisite crosssection .and preferably:ofk non-corrosive material f such 'as' phosphor-bronze, lor the. like,

Vis subdivided into 'eight-smaller lengths-.and

each length is bent substantially .ratlright angles with respectI to.the ilpreceding :.length.

- In -'the tease ao'f a square :spring .the lengths l, 2'and 5 areequal, while lengths and 8 are ishorter, preferably uanwamountcorrespondingltofthethickness of the spring'wire. Lengths 1,22, I3'ian'd 4 `are` their bent so i that they noi-mallylieiatright angleswith'oachV other, thus forming a .rectangular convoluftion'andithepurpose of making tlielengt-h l shorterfthfanlength. 3 is togivethe convolu- A tions-ofthe completed .spring4 an inclination as'described in application Serial No.l 284,722.`

The succeedingconvolution comprises lthe Vlengths 5,56,Trand'S.;.Asiwillbeseem length 6 :is shorter than -the -.correspondinglength 2 of thelargerconvolution, 'sothattlie con- Y 55 volutions,V6,7,\8'may, whenthe spring is in use, enter or nest within theconvolutions l,2,f3,efl. yThe length 7,.it VWillfbe understood, is thesame as the corresponding length 3 of tlie i large fconvolution. 1fHowever, during the transverse compression ofthe spring-the length V'7is "inclined sufficiently Ato Aenable length Gto t' belen7thecorre'sponding.length 2foff the convolutioiis l,2,8, 4.The'foregoingv described cycle vofibending at :predeterminedVVlengths'isrepeated throughoutthefiest of the springfwire, resiiltnrgsnra structure, as shown in Fig. 2, in which the successive convolu-V tionsare adjacent to each other but are progressively displaced along acommon axis represented by the dot dash line 2-2. Fig. 2-represents `atop plan'view of the `.spring asit is formed. Fig- 3 is atop view-ofthe.

spring looliing in the direction of the plane i of the convolutions andshowing the alternateshort andflong loopstructure ofthe-top surface.Fig. 4 is a bottomplan view of the spring looking in the direction ofthe plane ofthe convolutions showing the staggered equal loop structureof the bottom surface.

-In-orcler to use thev spring 'shown in Figs. 2, 3 and l as a resilientsupporting element,

such, for example, as employed iii-laundry rolls,the springvisstretchedfuntil the-turns thereof assume the desiredspacin-gyfor'example, as shown in Figs. 5, G 1and 7. -VhenA Y the springof Fig. ,2 is thusstretched, in -side elevation, all theconvolutions.appearitobe of the sa1nelieiglit,fas shown in Fig. 5.Howevcr, when such a spring isflocally compressed in the direction ofthe. arrow the -smallfconvolutions are Y distorted land the :upper endslit. within the leftLhandadj-acent large con` volutions. considered inconnection with F ig.6, which shows a -top plan view ofthe spring of.Fig. 5. As shown in this Iigure,7tli`e'lengtheof each small convolution'is such' that Ewhen the spring is compressed itwillfreely enter v,belowthe corresponding length 2.oftlielefthand adjacent large convolution.VvFig. 17 fillustrates the `relation between `the bottom lengths-ofsuccessive large andsmall convolutions. From a considerationfof Figs.I);

This action will be clearer vwhen p 6 and 7, it willbeseenthat-inlthee'normal position ofV the spring the height of ,-all.the

'convolutions is substantially the samefandfin this respect the springis similar @tothe in-` clined spring shown in application oSerial No.284,7 22. It is'fto'be noted however, that the. transverse resiliencyof` the spring. inithis latter application is limited bythe .faetthatduring transverse compression each Aconvolu- ReferringtoV Fig. 8,thespringeofFigs; 5,

6 and'7 isshoivn as applied-toa roll periph-` erysuch asu-sedwin laundrymachines. The` roll proper comprises .ai base plate, 9 -whichi is VInthis respect the roll of Fig. 8 is similar to that disclosed inapplication Serial No. 245,180 referred to hereinabove. However, in thepresent embodiment, it is preferred to compose the resilient surface ofa plurality of separate springs Wrapped around the ei;-` terior of thebase 9 instead of providing a single helically wrapped spring. Inaddition, in order to prevent creep of the springs over the base 9 asthe rollis rotatedtabs l1 are suitably struck up from said base toprovide slightly hooked prongs for engaging the lower lengths of thespring convolutions. The number of these tabs may be determined inaccordance with the size of the spring and the maximum working pressureto be exerted on the roll. l

As shown in Fig. 8, the spring supports a. series of fabric coveringscomprising aii inner covering of duck or canvas l2 which is givensubstantially two complete turns around the springs periphery, andoverlapping tlie last half turn of the canvas is a layer of woolmaterial 13. 0n top of this latter layer is the usual outer layer ofmuslin. lf the duck covering 12 is fastened to the outer surface of thespring padding or if it is fastened to the roll 9 by tapes, strips orthe like, as the duck is wrapped tighter and tighter by revolvingagainst the heated ironing chest, a portion of the padding in theneighborhood of the fastening means will be locally compressed. Thislocal compression will appear as a longitudinal depression in thesurface of the roll and will niark the goods being ironed. For thepurpose of properly anchoring the fabric covering to the roll so thatthe inward radial component of the pull resulting from the continualwinding effect may not be transmitted to the springs, the inner end ofthe canvas covering 13, is fastened as shown in Fig.` 9, by means ofeyelets 14 which are coupled to corre` sponding eyelets formed in loopedspring members l5. As shown clearly iii Figs. 9 and l0, the forward endof each member l5 is offset and registers with a corresponding narrowembossed or raised portion 16 in the surface of base 9, while thebackward end of the member l5 is slightly curved and rest-s upon theouter surface of the base 9. Thus the fabric coverings may be heldagainst the spring covering without the use of perinanent iastenings toeither the springsor the base plate since the members l5 are readily yplaced. in position without the use of. bolts for other fastening means.With this manner of fastening, as the roll rotates, there is atendency:to increase the tightness of the fabric coverings. However, sincethevcovering is in effect resiliently attached to the base 9 thecompression due to this-winding effectis not transmitted to the sirings, as would be the case if the fabric coverings were attacheddirectly thereto. r

Any manner of uniting the free ends of the spring padding may beemployed. However, it ispreferred to employ a cap union such asillustrated in'Fig. l0 wherein opposite ends' of each spring on beingwrapped around the roll are rigidly clainpedtogether by means ofa metalcap l?, which has its edges pinched together as shown in F'ig. ll.

Referring to l2 there is shown'a novel method of attaching series offabric coverings whereby the winding'eifect'on. the

coverings is relieved during substantially zie-.half of each revolution'of the roll. As shown in Fig. l2 the roll 9 is provided with duck orcanvas covering for the spring padding which is preferably the sainetype of padding as disclosed in Figs. 8 and 9. 'For the purpose ofsiinpli-fyingthe drawing, however,`the spring padding is omitted fromFig. l2.y nstead of providing a singlel length of duckv covering whichis given two turns around the roll as described in connection with Fig.8, the duck covering is divided into two lengths La and 12b each ofwhich goes around the roll once, and fastened atdiainetrically oppositepoints to the roll by means of elements l5 as described hereinabove. Aheated ironing chest C is shown in cooperative relation with a portionof the rollsurface. By means o-f the two part covernigas shown in Fig.12, the greater portion of the spring from the point where it isfastenedtov mem` ber 15 to the far edge of the chest C. `However, when the freeend of wrapper 122L leaves the chest, the said wrapper can slacken andalso the last quarter turn of wrapper l2". Thus the progressive andincreasing tightening which occurswhen a single length'of duck isemployed, is avoided.

What I claim is: Y l. In combination, aA base plate, a spring paddingmounted on said base plate, a fabric covering for saidpadding, and meansfor attaching said coveringrto said base plate, comprising aspringniember attachedfat one end to said base plate'and extendingoutwardly to apoint ofattachment with said covering substantially incircumferential alignment with the periphery of 'said padding.

*2. In combination, a base v iplate, a spring padding mountedv vonsaidbase plate, a fabric covering for `said padding, 1 and` means Aforattaching said covering tosaid base plate, comprisinga'spring memberattached at one end to said base-plate and extending outwardlythroughsaid spring padding to a point of attachment with said 'coverinesubstantially in circumferential alignment with the periphery ofsaidpadding.A Y

3. In combinatioma cylindrical base plate,

resilient-1padding mounted circuniferentially on said base plate, afabric covering Wrapped about said padding and disposed Whollyupon theexterior thereof, and means for securing the inner end of said coveringto said'base plate, saidmeaiis being resilient to enable `A its pointofattachment with said covering to folloW any local distortion of saidpadding.

4. In combination, a cylindrical base plate, resilient padding mountedcircumferentially on said base plate, a fabric covering WrappedV aboutsaidpadding, andineans for securing the inner end of said covering tosaid base plate, said means being resilient toenable its point ofattachment With said covering to fol- Y W any loc-al distortion of saidpadding.

base plate and an inner end of said covering for resiliently anchoringsaid covering t0 said base plate. Y

.7. In combination, a cylindrical base plate, plate, a fabric coveringfor saidplate, means for resiliently supporting said covering in spacedrelation to saidplate, and anangularly bent spring fastener interposedVbetween said. base-plate and said covering and having one leg secured tosaid ybase plate, another leg movablysupported Vuponthe surface of saidplate and secured tosaid covering at the point Wheresaidlegs meet.

8. In a laundry ironing rnll, the combina-Y tion of a cylindrical baseplate, a resilient padding mounted on said baseplate, a Afabric coveringfor said padding, and means forA anchoring said covering to said plate,including a plurality of resilient stripseach having one end attached tothe base plate and the other Yend `thereof attached vto* an end of thevsaid covering in preventing the progressive wrapping tighter of thefabric coveringfincluding a first llength of fabric resi'liently`anchoredat its inner end in Lspaced rel-ation Vto said rollganotherlength of fabricfresiliently anchored lat its inner end inspacedrelationto the roll ata. i

point circumferentially spaced from the anchoring pointfor theirstilength, said pieces of fabric being of lsuliieient length to over-vlapV and provide a double ,thickness covering throughout the peripheryof saidroll.V

10. In a laundryironing roll the combination ofl va cylindrical base, aresilientpadding mounted on said base, a length of fabric coveringWrapped around said'padding and resiliently anchored atitsinner end .tosaid plate, another Ylength -of fabric 'having zits iniier'endresilently attached'to said basefat apoint opposite to thelanchoring-point of the lirst length. v-

ll. In a laundry roll, the combination of a cylindrical base, aresilient padding mounted on said base, a plurality. Vof lengths offabric covering for saidpadding, resilient means for anchoring saidlengths to `,saidA plate at o1 posits sidesthereof.

l2. In a resiliently padded roll, means Ifor preventing the progressiveWrapping tighter of Vthe fabric covering includingl a first length offabric, resilient means forfanchoring Athe ,inner endV of said fabric tosaid roll, another length of fabric, resilienttineans for anchoring ktheinner end of said other length of fabric -to the rollatra pointcircumferentially spaced from theA anchoring point for the-first length,saidpieces of fabricbeing of suiicientlength to overlap and. Vprovide adouble thickness covering throughout 'the Lperiphery off said roll.

In testimony whereof, I have signedmy name to this specification this thday'V of' September, 1929.

ARTHUR i-i. ADAMS;

fabricandiadapted to hold said'endin spaced y 'irelationitosaidbase'plate. v

" i 9. `'In aresiliently padded roll, means 7`fori`

